Page:Chinese account of the Opium war (IA chineseaccountof00parkrich).pdf/17

 CHINESE ACCOUNT of THE OPIUM WAR.

HE Manchu Annals introduce the history of the English opium war with a statement that, early in the summer of 1838, the Director of the Court of State Ceremonial,, represented in a Memorial to the Throne that the growing consumption of foreign opium was at the root of all China's troubles. Silver, and coined dollars proportionately,—was becoming scarce and relatively dear, the tael having advanced from 1,000 to 1,600 cash in price; the revenue was in confusion, peculation rife, and trade disorganized. Opium, he said, came from England; but, though those foreigners were ready enough to weaken China and absorb her wealth by encouraging its use, so severely did they forbid smoking amongst themselves that offending ships were sunk by heavy guns. They had possessed themselves of [Koh-liu-pa or ] Java by this means, and had endeavoured to seduce Annam, which state,